BLOCKBUSTER: Top Chef Season 6 Contestants Revealed!

With filming in Vegas complete, Bravo has declared today Top Chef Day, as they've ceremoniously announced the 17 cheftestants competing in the upcoming sixth season of Top Chef, debuting this August 26 at 9pm. This time around, San Francisco has three representatives: Mattin Noblia, chef/owner of Iluna Basque and token Euro; Laurine Wickett, chef/owner of Left Coast Catering; and Preeti Mistry, who is billed as the executive chef at Google in her bio, but as the executive sous chef at Acme Chophouse in the video intros.

A gloss over the rest of the cheftestants reveals more executive chefs than in past seasons, several chesty tattoos, one lone New Yorker, and heavens to Betsy, it looks like there might be brothers competing: Bryan Voltaggio owns a Maryland restaurant while Michael Voltaggio—the lauded chef (see below) who already is rumored to do well on the show—comes from LA's Bazaar.

Laurine Wickett, San Francisco
Profession: Chef / Owner Left Coast Catering
Culinary Education: A.O.S Culinary Arts, C.I.A

Ron Duprat, Hollywood, Fla. and Naples, Fla.
Profession: Executive Chef

Preeti Mistry, San Francisco
Profession:: Executive Chef, Google, Bon Appetit ManAgement Company

Hector Santiago, Atlanta, Ga.
Profession:: Chef-Owner, Pura Vida ~ Latino Tapas Restaurant & Bar
Bonus: Santiago has two James Beard nominations for "Best Chef, Southeast."

Jesse Sandlin, Baltimore, Md.
Profession: Executive Chef, Abacrombie Fine Foods

Jennifer Carroll, Philadelphia, Pa.
Profession:: Chef de Cuisine 10 Arts by Eric Ripert

Robin Leventhal, Seattle, Wash.
Profession: Chef, Artist and Teacher

Ash Fulk, New York City
Profession: Sous Chef at Trestle on Tenth

Eli Kirshtein, Atlanta, Ga.
Profession: Executive Chef, Eno Restaurant and Wine Bar

Michael Isabella, Washington, D.C.
Profession:: Executive Chef, Zaytinya

Jennifer Zavala, Philadelphia, Pa.
Profession: Executive Chef, El Camino Real
Culinary Education: Self-Taught

Eve Aronoff, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Profession: Chef-Owner, Eve

Mattin Noblia, San Francisco, Calif. (native of France)
Profession: Owner, Iluna Basque
Culinary Education: C.A.P. de cuisine in southern France, the Basque Region

Kevin Gillespie, Atlanta, Ga.
Profession: Executive Chef & Partner, Woodfire Grill

Michael Voltaggio, Los Angeles
Profession: Chef de Cuisine at Bazaar by Jose Andres
Bonus: Voltaggio has quite the impressive resume, with a number of culinary awards, include the "AAA 55 Diamond" and "Mobil Award." In addition, he was finalist for the James Beard "Best New Restaurant" award.

Bryan Voltaggio, Urbana, Md.
Profession:: Chef/Partner, VOLT Restaurant

Ashley Merriman, Seattle, Wash.
Profession:: Chef at Branzino in Seattle, Wash. (though her bio also says she works for Alex Guarneschelli in NYC).
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